dennis



(No Model.)

B. F. DENNIS.

300K HOLDER.

No. 427,558. Patemed May 1.3, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJ AMIN F. DENNIS, OF DOVER, NEWV HAMPSI-IIRE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-I'IALF TO IIERBERT D. CAVERLY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 427,558, dated May 13, 1890.

Application filed March 13, 1889. $eria1 No. 303,095. (No model.)

To' all whom it may concern: form a handle, and thence outward through Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. DENNIs, the loops 4 4, in which `the wire rocks. A

of Dover, in the county of Strafford and State sharp bend forward is made in the wire B New Hampshire, have invented certain new just outside of these loops to form the spring- 5 5' 5 and useful Improvements in Book-Holders; jaws 7 7, which afterward bend downward,

and I do hereby declare the following` to bea and are rounded at the ends, so as not to full, clear, and exact description of the invenscratch, mar, or tear the leaves. 1When the tion, such as will enable others skilled in the parts are assembled and the spring-jaws are art to which it appertains to make and use the depressed or in theirnormal position, theeye- 6o ro same. let 6 is over the point 1, and, owing to the ac- My invention relates to an improvement in tion ot' the spirals 3 3, the loops ft 4 always leaf-holders for books. extend outward against the spring-jaws 7 7,

The object is to provide a light, cheap, and so that when the jaws are thrown back they inexpensive article susceptible of easy and are always held by the stops 5 5. The jaw-s 65 quick application and capable of furnishing 7 7 are normally held in one of two extreme the requisite pressure upon the leaves without adjustments by the spiral spring 10, which injury to them or damage to the bindings. extends from the point 1 to the eyelet 6. By \Vith this end in view my invention conits tension it always tends to hold these parts sists in certain novel features of construction as close as possible to each other, and when 7o and conibinations of parts, as will be hereinthe eyelet 6 is thrown forward and the spring after fully described, and pointed out in the holding-jaws 7 7 are down upon the leaves or claims. against the spirals 3 3 they are the nearest In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is to each other, and when thrown back in the a view in perspective of my preferred form of opposite direction they are held against the 75 holder, the dotted lines representing a book stops by the contractile action of the spring.

to which the holder is applied; and Fig. 2 is In the modification the principle of the dea similar View of a modification. vice is precisely the same as the former con- A represents the frame-work of the holder. struction, and in the main the two are similar; This is composed of a single Wire bent in any but in a few respects, which willnow'be point- So shape desired to serve as a gripping-surface, ed out, they differ slightly. In this the wire 'but preferably bent in the following manner: A is bent to form arounded portionll between Starting at a central point 1, where a slight the spirals 3 3 to receive the back of a book, bend is made, it extends laterally in opposite and back of the spirals the wire is bent around directions for a short distance, when the wire to form the spring-elbows 5 5, Which the ten- 85 is turned forward at nearly right angles at sion of the spirals has a tendency to throw points 2 2, and from this point the ends of the outward. At its extreme ends the wire termiwire are bent around about one and two-thirds nates in the bearing-loops 4 4. A second wire time to form a pair of spirals 3 3, Which leaves B, bent in the middle to form a handle 6, eX- the wire at the rear of the spirals at points tends outward through the loops 4 4, and 90 40 about opposite their centers. From here the thence forward against the spring-clbows 5 5 ends of the wire are curved upward and backto form spring holding-jaws 7 7. In this deward and the bearing-loops 4 eare formed in vice a third wire O is mounted on wire B to them, after Which the extreme ends of the hold the loops 4 4 in place. Wire are bentoutward to serve as stops 5 5, to In the'construction shown in Fig. 1 the jaws 9 5 be r'eferred to hereinafter. 7 are yieldingly held in closed position by A second Wire B, constituting another porspring 10, while in Fig. 2 the jaws 7 are closed tion of the holder, is by preference bent in by the spring-elbows 5. These elbows incline the following manner: At its middle an eyeupwardly and outwardly, and henee are in let (3 is made by a complete spiral turn in the the path of movement of the spring-jaws 7 mo wire. From this point the wire extends rearas the latter are turned up. As the jaws are Ward in the general shape of a letter V to turned up or back, the elbows 5 yield in adclose the jaws.

vance of the jaws, and consequently at all times eXert a yielding pressure, tending to Of course it is understood that the devices are placed on an open book by raising the jaws 7 7 and placing the book between them and the spirals, so that one spring-jaw bears on each leaf.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and henoe I do not Wish to limit myself to the precise construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desi re to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, With a frame having spring-arms carrying loops at their ends, of movable j aws mounted in said loops, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, With a frame having spring-arms, the latter terminating in loops, of movable jaws having bearings in said loops, substantially as set forth.

3. In a leaf-holder for books, the combination, With a frame having spring-arms, the

latter terminating in loops, of yielding jaws having bearings in said loops and adapted When open to receive pressure from the frame, substantially as set forth.

4. In a leaf-holder for books, the combination, With a frame consisting of a single Wire bent to form spiral corners, bearing-loops, and stops, of a separate wire bent to form a handle and spring holding-jaws, said Wire supported in the loops, and a spiral spring oonnecting the frame and Wire, Wh ereby pressure is given to the jaws, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, With a frame having upWardly-projecting members at its opposite ends, said upWardly-projecting members terminating in loops, of a holder or Wire B, mounted insaid loops and provided With for- Wardly-projecting jaws, and means for yieldingly forcing said jaws downwardly toward the frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony Whereof I have signed this specificat-ion in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

BENJ AMIN F. DENNIS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

F. E. GARSIDE,

DHAs. S. CARTLAND. 

